Sunless Skies early access release date set

Failbetter's skyward narrative adventure targets August arrival.

Both Chris and Fraser enjoyed Failbetter Games' Sunless Sea, awarding its base game and Zubmariner DLC a hearty 80 and impressive 90 in their respective reviews. The studio's next slice of narrative adventure comes by way of Sunless Skies—a skybound tale that aims to reimagine the "Victorian Empire in space". That's now got an Steam Early Access and GOG Games in Development launch date: August 30.

As detailed in this Kickstarter backer update, Failbetter has taken player feedback on board ahead of Sunless Skies' early access introduction. Here, players will be able to explore the game's Reach area, one of four regions of its High Wilderness world.

Here's how Failbetter explains the first playable zone:

"The Reach is a verdant, sunless frontier. London pioneers—spearheaded by the avaricious Windward Company—establish far-flung colonies and plunder the riches of the region's ruins and wild gardens. But many colonists crave independence from the Empire, and the Reach is rife with conflict. Will you be one of the lucky few who strikes it rich? Or one of the masses broken amidst the green wastes?"

Said to boast a "broad skeleton of gameplay features", Sunless Skies promises multiple ports, stories in spades, trading, fighting, dying, and just about everything else you've come to expect from a Failbetter game.

Sunless Skies is due on Steam's Early Access programme and GOG's Games in Development initiative on August 30. When it lands it'll cost £18.99/$24.99.